Ryan Villopoto dominates main event at O.co Coliseum

OAKLAND -- Looking every bit like a three-time defending series champion, Ryan Villopoto was nearly flawless Saturday night as he led after all 20 laps to capture the AMA Supercross 450 SX main event before an announced crowd of 47,339 at O.co Coliseum.

Villopoto took the lead midway through the first lap and was never seriously threatened for the final 15 laps, as he captured his second win of the season and his second straight Supercross event in Oakland.

James Stewart was second, 4.235 seconds back of Villopoto, and Chad Reed was third.

Villopoto now leads the series standings with 84 points, followed by Reed with 77 and Ken Roczen with 75.

"It's Supercross, so it comes down to having good starts," said Villopoto, who added that his team made several adjustments to his Kawasaki over the past two weeks. "There are a lot guys that are quick, so your nights have to go pretty much perfect to not only get a win, but multiple wins on the season."

Jason Anderson overtook Dean Wilson on the last of 15 laps to win the 250 SX main event. Wilson had taken control midway through the race but appeared to miss a shift after the penultimate lap and was passed by Anderson.

Villopoto also had the fastest time in Saturday afternoon qualifying with a 54.830-second lap, followed by Stewart's time of 54.957 and Justin Brayton's time of 55.155.

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The 450 SX main event figured to come down to Villopoto and Stewart, though, not only because of their lap times Saturday, but their history in recent Bay Area stops.

Stewart, arguably still the sport's biggest attraction, won in San Francisco in 2009 and in Oakland in 2011 and 2012. Villopoto won in San Francisco in 2010.

Villopoto entered Saturday second in the season standings with 59 points, one point back of Roczen. Stewart, though, was sixth with 44 points and needed a solid performance at the Coliseum to keep the leaders within earshot.

Bothered by a cold for most of the month, Stewart began the season with a 17th-place finish in Anaheim on Jan. 4, followed by a fourth-place finish in Phoenix on Jan. 11 and a runner-up finish in the second Anaheim race last week.

After a poor start, Stewart began a charge and was in third place by the seventh lap and later passed Reed for second. Stewart is still in sixth place overall but now has 66 points, five back of fifth place.

"Got some good points and Ryan pulled away a little bit," Stewart said. "But if we keep being consistent like this, we'll get our break and we'll be there to take it."

The first three races this season in the 450 SX series featured a different winner in each one, and the top five riders in the standings entering Saturday were separated by only five points. Roczen won the first Anaheim race, Villopoto won in Phoenix and Reed took the checkered flag in the second Anaheim race.